IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/ormnsc/v44y1998i1p62-82.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Deterrence, Reputations, and Competitive Cognition

Author

Listed:
  • Bruce H. Clark

    (College of Business Administration, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115)

  • David B. Montgomery

    (Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305)

Abstract

This study examines an aspect of competitive interactions that has attracted increasing research attention: the relationship between deterrence and competitive reputations. We build a conceptual model of the antecedents and consequences of a firm's reputation for being a credible defender of its markets. Theory and limited empirical evidence suggests a firm with this reputation should deter competitive attacks against it. We explore how a manager's competitive cognition about her opponents' (1) patterns of activity in the marketplace and (2) previous success can lead her to perceive a competitor as a credible defender. We test the framework using MBA students in a quasi-field setting, the Markstrat2 simulation game. The results of this study suggest that reputation deters attack only when the potential attacker considers the target firm a minor competitor. Managers consider defenders that have previously been successful as credible defenders of their markets. They also weigh consistency of activity relative to industry average in making inferences about credibility. The study indicates that the deterrence-reputation link is more complex than previous theory and evidence might imply, and suggests considerable promise for a psychological approach to examining competitive interactions.

Suggested Citation

  • Bruce H. Clark & David B. Montgomery, 1998. "Deterrence, Reputations, and Competitive Cognition," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 44(1), pages 62-82, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:44:y:1998:i:1:p:62-82
    DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.44.1.62
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.44.1.62
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/mnsc.44.1.62?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. John McGee & Howard Thomas, 1986. "Strategic groups: Theory, research and taxonomy," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 7(2), pages 141-160, March.
    2. Walsh, James P. & Henderson, Caroline M. & Deighton, John, 1988. "Negotiated belief structures and decision performance: An empirical investigation," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 194-216, October.
    3. Alison Hubbard Ashton & Robert H. Ashton, 1985. "Aggregating Subjective Forecasts: Some Empirical Results," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 31(12), pages 1499-1508, December.
    4. Rashi Glazer & Joel H. Steckel & Russell S. Winer, 1992. "Locally Rational Decision Making: The Distracting Effect of Information on Managerial Performance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 38(2), pages 212-226, February.
    5. Kreps, David M. & Wilson, Robert, 1982. "Reputation and imperfect information," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 253-279, August.
    6. Harrison, Glenn W., 1988. "Predatory pricing in a multiple market experiment : A note," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 9(4), pages 405-417, June.
    7. William T. Ross, 1987. "Note---A Re-Examination of the Results of Hogarth and Makridakis' "The Value of Decision Making in a Complex Environment: An Experimental Approach"," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 33(2), pages 288-296, February.
    8. Aneel Karnani & Birger Wernerfelt, 1985. "Multiple point competition," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 6(1), pages 87-96, January.
    9. Milgrom, Paul & Roberts, John, 1982. "Predation, reputation, and entry deterrence," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 280-312, August.
    10. Isaac, R Mark & Smith, Vernon L, 1985. "In Search of Predatory Pricing," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 93(2), pages 320-345, April.
    11. N. Venkatraman, 1989. "Strategic Orientation of Business Enterprises: The Construct, Dimensionality, and Measurement," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 35(8), pages 942-962, August.
    12. Keith Weigelt & Colin Camerer, 1988. "Reputation and corporate strategy: A review of recent theory and applications," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 9(5), pages 443-454, September.
    13. George P. Huber, 1991. "Organizational Learning: The Contributing Processes and the Literatures," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 2(1), pages 88-115, February.
    14. Camerer, Colin & Weigelt, Keith, 1988. "Experimental Tests of a Sequential Equilibrium Reputation Model," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 56(1), pages 1-36, January.
    15. Neral, John & Ochs, Jack, 1992. "The Sequential Equilibrium Theory of Reputation Building: A Further Test," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 60(5), pages 1151-1169, September.
    16. Robin M. Hogarth & Spyros Makridakis, 1981. "The Value of Decision Making in a Complex Environment: An Experimental Approach," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 27(1), pages 93-107, January.
    17. Lant, Theresa K. & Montgomery, David B., 1987. "Learning from strategic success and failure," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 15(6), pages 503-517, December.
    18. anonymous, 1987. "External debt issues," Reserve Bank of New Zealand Bulletin, Reserve Bank of New Zealand, vol. 50, june.
    19. Marian Chapman Moore, 1992. "Signals and Choices in a Competitive Interaction: The Role of Moves and Messages," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 38(4), pages 483-500, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Butler, Jeffrey V. & Carbone, Enrica & Conzo, Pierluigi & Spagnolo, Giancarlo, 2020. "Past performance and entry in procurement: An experimental investigation," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 179-195.
    2. Kartal, Melis & Müller, Wieland & Tremewan, James, 2021. "Building trust: The costs and benefits of gradualism," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 258-275.
    3. Capra, C. Monica & Goeree, Jacob K. & Gomez, Rosario & Holt, Charles A., 2000. "Predation, asymmetric information and strategic behavior in the classroom: an experimental approach to the teaching of industrial organization," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 205-225, January.
    4. van Damme, E.E.C. & Larouche, P. & Müller, W., 2006. "Abuse of a Dominant Position : Cases and Experiments," Other publications TiSEM 7e471876-96e7-46c7-a956-e, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    5. Bolle, Friedel & Breitmoser, Yves & Schlächter, Steffen, 2011. "Extortion in the laboratory," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 78(3), pages 207-218, May.
    6. Oscar Molina Tejerina, 2004. "Precios predatorios: Una revisión teórica y evidencia experimental," Investigación & Desarrollo, Universidad Privada Boliviana, vol. 4(1), pages 89-106.
    7. Brandts, Jordi & Figueras, Neus, 2003. "An exploration of reputation formation in experimental games," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 89-115, January.
    8. Keser, Claudia & Späth, Maximilian, 2021. "The value of bad ratings: An experiment on the impact of distortions in reputation systems," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    9. Möllers, Claudia, 2016. "Reputation and foreclosure with vertical integration: Experimental evidence," DICE Discussion Papers 232, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics (DICE).
    10. Keser, Claudia & Späth, Maximilian, 2020. "The value of bad ratings: An experiment on the impact of distortions in reputation systems," University of Göttingen Working Papers in Economics 389, University of Goettingen, Department of Economics.
    11. Beck, Dominik, 2024. "The dominance of reputation in continuous time: Experimental insights from a market entry game," MPRA Paper 122772, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Bolton, Gary E. & Ockenfels, Axel & Ebeling, Felix, 2011. "Information value and externalities in reputation building," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 29(1), pages 23-33, January.
    13. Schatzel, Kim & Droge, Cornelia & Calantone, Roger, 2003. "Strategic channel activity preannouncements: An exploratory investigation of antecedent effects," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 56(12), pages 923-933, December.
    14. Chong, Juin-Kuan & Camerer, Colin F. & Ho, Teck H., 2006. "A learning-based model of repeated games with incomplete information," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 55(2), pages 340-371, May.
    15. Zauner, Klaus G., 1999. "A Payoff Uncertainty Explanation of Results in Experimental Centipede Games," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 26(1), pages 157-185, January.
    16. Cochard, Francois & Nguyen Van, Phu & Willinger, Marc, 2004. "Trusting behavior in a repeated investment game," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 55(1), pages 31-44, September.
    17. Gary Bolton & Ben Greiner & Axel Ockenfels, 2013. "Engineering Trust: Reciprocity in the Production of Reputation Information," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 59(2), pages 265-285, January.
    18. Lisa V. Bruttel & Jochen Glöckner, 2011. "Strategic Buyers And Market Entry," Journal of Competition Law and Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 7(2), pages 381-402.
    19. Andreoni, James & Samuelson, Larry, 2006. "Building rational cooperation," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 127(1), pages 117-154, March.
    20. William Comanor & H. Frech, 2015. "Economic Rationality and the Areeda–Turner Rule," Review of Industrial Organization, Springer;The Industrial Organization Society, vol. 46(3), pages 253-268, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:44:y:1998:i:1:p:62-82. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.